Harman Patil (Editor)

Skylark (song)

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Released
  
1942

Length
  
3:30

Genre
  
Pop

Writer(s)
  
Johnny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael

"Skylark" is an American popular song with lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Hoagy Carmichael, published in 1941. Mercer said that he struggled for a year after he got the music from Carmichael before he could get the lyrics right. Mercer recalled Carmichael initially called him several times about the lyric, but had forgotten about it by the time Mercer finally wrote the lyrics. The yearning expressed in the lyrics is Mercer's longing for Judy Garland, with whom Mercer had an affair. This song is considered a jazz standard. Additionally, the song is believed to have inspired a long-running Buick car of the same name that was produced from 1953 to 1998.

Selective list of recorded versions

  • 1941, Anita O'Day with the Gene Krupa Orchestra recorded the song on November 25, 1941.
  • 1941, Helen Forrest with Harry James.
  • 1941, Ginny Simms with the Edgar Fairchild Orchestra (18 December 1941).
  • 1942, Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra.
  • 1942, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with vocals by Ray Eberle in 1942, rising to #7 on the charts.
  • 1943, Billy Eckstine with the Earl Hines Orchestra.
  • 1950, The Clovers recorded as a single.
  • 1963, Aretha Franklin released her version on her fifth studio album Laughing on the Outside.
  • 1973, Bette Midler, on her second studio LP Bette Midler.
  • 1984, Linda Ronstadt - with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra - from her Platinum-plus album Lush Life. Hit #12 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart in early 1985. Ronstadt's version was nominated for a Grammy Award.
  • 2009, Mark Isham and Kate Ceberano recorded a version for their album, Bittersweet
  • 2016, Bob Dylan recorded versions album Fallen Angels.
  • 2016, Kristin Chenoweth, on her sixth studio album The Art of Elegance.
  • References

    Skylark (song) Wikipedia